Hi, I’m Sarah Spence
Search Marketing Strategist, Speaker and Educator
I help in-house marketers evolve from SEO-only thinking to Search-First Strategy so their brands become discoverable, retrievable and citable across Traditional, AI and Social search.
Why my Search-First approach is a hot topic
Search has changed. Traditional SEO still matters, but it is no longer the whole game. Human search behaviour is fragmenting across Google, AI platforms and social search.
I help brands respond with a Search-First Strategy grounded in human search demand, ownable topic authority and content ecosystems. I also build (and teach) the AI Content Engines that enable fast implementation and design the Marketing Reporting frameworks that deliver actionable insights.
I’m proud to have been featured in…
Sarah Spence – Founder of Content Rebels
Hello, I’m your secret weapon
For the past 12 years I’ve helped hundreds of marketers exactly like you find clarity – whether from the content, search or overall marketing chaos we all find ourselves in with our modern world. You can be sure none of us studied ANY of what we’re faced with these days in uni!
My work sits at the intersection of Search-First Strategy (SEO + GEO), content ecosystems, AI search visibility and content-led growth. That means helping brands move beyond SEO-only thinking and build the authority they need to be discoverable, retrievable and citable across traditional search, AI search and the wider digital discovery landscape.
In practice, that can look like:
Whether I’m working with an eCommerce brand trying to respond to changing search behaviour, or a B2B team trying to build thought leadership that actually drives discovery, my goal is always the same…
…to help the right audience find you, trust you and choose you.
What makes my perspective different
In other words, how am I different to all the other SEO/GEO/Content Marketing peeps out there?
Human-search-first, not channel-first
I know brands don’t need a separate strategy for every new platform or acronym. The real shift is in how humans search for information, compare options and make decisions. That’s the change I help brands respond to.
Ownables, not scattered Marketing
One of the biggest mistakes I see is brands producing content across too many disconnected topics. I help teams define the ownable spaces they can genuinely lead — then build content ecosystems that reinforce that authority across channels.
Strategy before tactics
I’m not interested in random acts of trend-chasing or surface-level optimisation. The best results come from stepping back, understanding the audience, the demand and the opportunity, and then making smart strategic decisions about what to build.
Experimentation, not static playbooks
Modern search is evolving too quickly for rigid, set-and-forget plans. I help brands create strategies with a clear direction, but enough flexibility to test, learn and adapt as search behaviour, platforms and buyer expectations continue to shift.
Sarah is Australia’s Best Marketer
The Australian Marketing Institute has spoken
I had the great honour of being named Certified Practising Marketer of the Year at the Australian Marketing Institute (AMI) awards. Plus the team and I are proud winners and finalists in:
Don’t just take our word for it
“The key to our Search success”
“Content Rebels took our ambitious goals and turned them into actionable results. Their strategic approach to SEO and their ability to deliver at scale have been instrumental in building our presence as a trusted resource in the health space.”
– Tom O’Neil, SEO & Content Manager“Highly recommend for SEO.”
“This is the second time I’ve engaged Sarah Spence to work on website SEO strategy and crafting content ecosystems. Sarah has an analytical approach to crafting content to the right audience and then demonstrating the ROI of that content.”
– Sarah Griffin, Head of Marketing“By far the best AI training.”
“Sarah’s training on AI is by far the best I’ve heard on the subject of ACTUALLY USING IT (better than any even at SXSW!). Her practical advice was fascinating, informed and straight-up handy. I highly recommend her training on the subject of AI and Search.”
– Luke Ellery, Content Designer
Media Mentions & Podcast Episodes
- Mi3 – AI Masterclass explores new frontiers of consumer discovery
- AdNews – AI, TikTok and Instagram ahead of Google for product recommendations
- Media Week – Major shift in search and consumer discovery
- B&T – AI Social Search Insights 40% of Gen Z prefer TikTok or Instagram when searching for brands
- Mumbrella – AI is changing consumer discovery
- AdNews – AI, Tik-Tok and Instagram ahead of Google for product recommendations
- Mumbrella – When every brand is a publisher, how do you stand out?
- B&T – 40% Of Gen Z Prefer TikTok Or Instagram When Searching For Brands
- Mumbrella – Why you need more neurodivergent people on your content team
- Campaign Brief – Human curiosity is the ultimate content advantage
- Campaign Brief – Sarah Spence named Australia’s Certified Practising Marketer of the Year at AMI Awards
- B&T – Copywriter Sarah Spence launches Content Rebels podcast exploring the future of marketing
- B&T – Recognition for relaunched Content Rebels
- Inside Small Business – When you realise you’re upscaling
- Inside Small Business – How to nail your rebrand: eight tips from someone who’s been there
- SmartCompany – Six things this growing business is doing differently to be inclusive to all brains.
- frankie – How being a neurodivergent leader has helped me build a more inclusive and supportive business.
- Campaign Brief – Afterpay appoints Content Copywriting.
- Dynamic Business – Meet the Content Rebels founder, who puts people first in business.
- Inside Small Business – How to nail your rebrand: eight tips from someone who’s been there
- Mi3 – 2023 AMI Excellence Awards: Full winners list (includes CPM of the Year).
- Women Love Tech – How (kind‑of‑accidentally) I scaled my business from solo to 15 in less than two years.
- Your Business Boost – Being a Neurodivergent Business Leader with Sarah Spence.
- The Corporate Escapists – From Solo Freelance Copywriting to Growing a Team of 20
- AdNews – Australian Marketing Institute awards 2023.
- Apple Podcasts – The Content Rebels
- Grow a Small Business – From Struggle to Triumph: From Freelancer to Industry Leader: Sarah Spence’s Journey with Content Rebels
- SparkTV – A wine with Sarah Spence [Video Podcast]
- The Debra Shepherd Podcast – Content marketing, business growth and creating inclusive workplaces with Sarah Spence
- The Content Byte – Sarah Spence on selling strategy as a service and being neurodiverse in the copywriting world
